Means for transporting loads over ice and snow roads



(No Model.)

F. B. LOWELL. MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING LOADS OVER ICE AND SNOW ROADS. No.316,553.

lziljowz JWVEJVTOR N PETERS. Pholmlflhngmphqv: Washington. 0 c.

UNITED STATES ENT OFFICE FRANKLIN B. LOWVELL, OF MARINETTE, WISCONSIN.

MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING LOADS OVER ICE AND SNOW ROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 316,553, dated April28, 1885. Application filed December 720, 1884. (No model.)

specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Myinvention relates to machines for making ice logging-roads in thesnow, and it consists in the construction and combination of parts,

as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of my improvedmachine for making ice logging-roads in the snow. Fig. 2 is a plan Viewof one pairof the bobsleds used in this connection. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of one pair of the bob-sleds. Fig. 4 isa transverse verticalsection through one of the runners and its shoe; and Fig. 5 is a detailview of portions of beam, showing slot.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates anordinary loggingsled in the main .features of its construction, itcomprising a pairof bob-sleds connected by a platform which is supportedon expanding beams O G. The beam 0 isslotted through horizontally, and abolt, h, having a threaded eye, h, is passed through the slotZ in thebeam 0, the eye h projecting in front of the beam 0. A threaded rod, Z,passes through threaded lugs k on the expanding or extension beam, andpasses also through the threaded eye h of the bolt h. The threaded rod Zis provided at one end with a rectangular portion, Z, to which awrenohmay be applied to turn it to cause the runners of the bob-sleds torecede from or to approach each other, as may be de sired, to eitherwiden or narrow the track of the sleds. The runners of the sleds aresoled with hollow shoes F, made of metal, and these shoes are connectedby steam-pipes b with the steam-boiler A on the platform of the sled.

B designates a water-tank, in which water is heated by steam from theboiler A. The

steam passes through a pipe, cZ, having a steam-cock, d. "b b aresteam-pipes, through which steam is conveyed from the steam-boiler tothe hollow sleigh-shoes F. The steam-pipes b b are connected at theirlower ends with the hollow shoes F by flexible rubber tubes 9 g, therebyforming compensating-joints atthese points, which will permit thevarying moveheld in place by bolts j.

The operation of the device is as follows,

viz: After the runners have been adjusted to the width of the trackrequired by means of the adjusting-screws Z, steam from the boiler, bymeans of pipes 12 b and compensating-joints 99, is admitted to thehollow shoes and allowed to circulate through and to issue from theshoes at the points a a through holes drilled in the shoes at thesepoints, and from which holes the steam is forced downwardly into thesnow for the purpose of softening the snow over which the sled is topass, which purpose is further accomplished by allowing the water fromtank B to issue in front of the runners through the pipes when thehardness of the snow requires it. The steam heating the hollow shoes-Fcauses them to melt deep grooves in the snow,and which freezes after thepassage of the machine and furnishes a glazed and icy gutter, in whichthe runners of the following loggingsleds can run without diverging fromthe road.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. The combination, with the sled having hollow shoes or runners withsteam-discharge openings, ofthe steam-boiler with steam-pipes connectedflexibly to the hollow shoes, and the water-tank connected with thesteam boiler and provided with the discharge-pipes emptying in front ofthe rear runners, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the runners and the extension-beam, of thethreaded eyebolt and the threaded adj usting-rod, substantially asspecified.

In testimony that I my own I have hereto affixed my signature inpresence of two witnesses. Y

FRANKLIN B. LOWELL.

Witnesses:

J. K. WRIGHT, D. MADAGIN.

claim the foregoing as

